5 Steps to the Perfect Cosmetics Counter

Posted by Momentum Instore on 4 September 2017

Cosmetic products are enjoyed by millions of people all over the world.

They contribute to healthy lifestyles, well-being and self-confidence. And it’s big business. The UK cosmetics market is worth £2 billion and is one of the top 5 markets in the EU.

That is why cosmetics counters are the jewel in the crown of any department store but in such a highly-competitive area of retail, it’s imperative that you get your cosmetics merchandising campaigns not only right, but right first time.

We’ve compiled a list of five steps you can take to make sure your cosmetics counter is top of the class.

1. Practice makes perfect

Intricate projects such as cosmetics installations require drilling down to the tiniest detail to ensure that nothing is left to chance on the shop floor. So invest time and resource to make sure you have planned every detail and always use planograms to record the level of detail required.

Conduct time trials for each campaign as this will allow you to identify trouble spots, while giving you the chance to optimise the process without negatively impacting your costs.

2. Make it seasonal

Whether it’s mid-winter or the height of summer, Mother’s Day or Halloween, consumers want a good range of relevant beauty products.

Take advantage and make sure your campaigns are appealing to your customers throughout the year but you don’t need to make a huge investment. Sometimes simply reordering of products is enough, for example, moving glittery eyeshadow to front and centre in time for the Christmas party season, or pulling together all of the pastel shades for spring/summer can be effective merchandising choices.

3. Put your products in the spotlight

Walk in to any beauty department and you will undoubtedly be met by clear white LED lights and white clinical colours, providing the perfect backdrop for cosmetics brands to show their true colours. So make sure you use lighting and colours that will appeal to your customers.

At the more affordable end of the market, brands like Rimmel and Maybelline use bright vibrant colour pallets to attract the customers’ attention. Whereas at the high-end, beauty names often use soft, muted colours.

Cosmetics brands have the added benefit of selling products that cover a wide colour spectrum so lipstick testers and bottles of nail varnish should be purposefully presented in a prominent place to catch the eye of the customer.

4. Choose an agency with bags of cosmetics experience

Beauty and cosmetics installations campaigns are notoriously difficult. From the sheer volume of the units, and the products involved, to the incredible intricacy of the most dynamic and on-trend displays, you can’t entrust this job to inexperienced agencies.

Check that your agency has the right credentials and set ambitious targets to ensure they deliver a great return on your investment.

Once the roll-out is underway, you need to ensure that you have access to the work that is being carried out so choose an agency that can deliver detailed reporting, through photographic evidence and in real-time. This guarantees high standards are met, while allowing for any problems to be quickly identified and changes implemented where necessary.

5. Adopt a long term approach

The perfect cosmetics counter is one which makes a big impact so it’s important to take a long term view. Make sure your campaign doesn’t lose its appeal by running out of stock or losing its relevance.

It’s important to use an agency that can continue to monitor and maintain your cosmetics counter long after installation and provide you with a live reporting system with an in depth overview of each individual display.

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